WELCOME
Good morning First Baptist. We welcome you to worship this morning. Be sure to remember your brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the week as you pray for them, and as the Holy Spirit brings their faces to your mind. Be sure to also connect with them in the ways that are possible. And if you have any questions or would like to talk to someone, please don’t hesitate to contact the church through the church telephone and leave a message. (519-733-4144)
Songs
Call to Worship
Today we gather at the beginning, the beginning of Holiest of seasons, the weeks when the church remembers the deepest story of God’s love. We remember Jesus entering Jerusalem as crowds waved palm branches and cried out with hope. We remember the table where He shared bread and cup with His disciples.
We remember the cross, where love was poured out for the world. And we remember that even in the silence of the tomb, God was still at work. This is the beginning of the Easter season when we slow down and walk with Christ from celebration to sacrifice, from sorrow to hope, from the cross toward the promise of resurrection. So let us quiet our hearts, open our lives to the grace of God, and worship the One who walked this road for us. Let us worship the Lord.
Songs
Prayer
CONFESSION:
Gracious and merciful God, as we enter the Easter Season, we come before you with honest hearts. We confess that we are often like the crowd in Jerusalem. We celebrate when faith feels easy, but struggle to trust you when the road becomes difficult. We confess that we sometimes follow you only when life goes the way we hoped. When we face uncertainty, disappointment, or fear, our trust can falter and our faith can grow quiet.
Forgive us for the ways we turn away from you, for the moments we choose comfort instead of faithfulness, and for the times we fail to follow where you lead. Yet even in our weakness, you remain faithful. So, we come again to the cross, laying before you our brokenness, our doubts, and our sin. Renew our hearts, O God. Teach us to trust you more deeply and lead us to follow Christ with humility and courage. Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE:
Hear the good news of the Gospel. The cross reveals that God’s grace is greater than our sin, and God’s mercy is deeper than our failures. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, restored, and made new. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Holy Week
From Applause to the Cross
Today's Message: Pastors Marlee Page and Dave Page
Responsive Reading — Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus
(Based on Hebrews 12:1–3)
Pastor Dave
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
Congregation
Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely.
Pastor Marlee
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
Congregation
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
Pastor Dave
For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame,
Congregation
And sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Pastor Marlee
Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners,
Congregation
So that we will not grow weary or lose heart.
Pastor Dave
Church, let us fix our eyes on Jesus.
Congregation
And follow Him on the road that leads to life.
Scripture Reading: Luke 19:22-23, 28-44
22 And he said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’
The Triumphal Entry
28 When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’ ”
32 So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. 33 But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?”
34 And they said, “The Lord has need of him.” 35 Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. 36 And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road.
37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying:
“ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”
40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
From Applause to the Cross
Church, today we begin turning our attention toward the most important week in the Christian story.
The Beginning of Easter
If you’ve glanced at the news again this week, or any week lately, you know how easy it is for our attention to become consumed by headlines. War, political tension, economic uncertainty, crisis after crisis. The world has a way of constantly pulling our focus toward what feels urgent, troubling, and overwhelming, we talked about that a little bit last week. But the rhythm of the church calendar invites us to do something different. It invites us to retrain our attention, to shift our gaze away from the noise of the moment and toward the deeper story that shapes our faith. And today is one of those moments.
Traditionally and historically, the fifth Sunday of Lent was known as Passion Sunday. It marked the beginning of what the church called Passiontide, a time when believers began turning their attention more intentionally toward the suffering of Christ and the road that leads to the cross.
The following Sunday was then observed as Palm Sunday, remembering Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.
So, today functions as a kind of doorway. It’s the moment when we begin turning our hearts and our attention toward the most important week in the Christian story, Holy Week. And as a church family, we’ll be entering into that journey together in some meaningful ways in the coming weeks as we move toward Easter.
What makes this moment particularly powerful is that it holds two very different emotions together. On one hand, there is celebration. Soon in the story, Jesus rides into Jerusalem and the crowds are cheering. Palm branches are waving. People are shouting “Hosanna!” They believe their king has finally arrived; but at the same time, Passion Sunday also points us toward something much heavier because the same city that welcomed Jesus, will soon reject Him. The same voices shouting “Hosanna!” will soon shout “Crucify Him!” And if we’re honest, that tension reveals something very real about the human heart.
If you have been following along with Courtney Verhelst’s Lenten meditations for us, you will have come across these words, something we that feels incredibly honest about the human experience:
“People will, without fail, let you down. This is unfortunately part of the human experience; we mess up and in turn let each other down.”
And when we consider the story of Easter, that reality shows up everywhere. The disciples fail Jesus, the crowds fail Jesus, the leaders fail Jesus. Human hope proves fragile.
But the good news of the Gospel is this: Jesus didn’t come because people were reliable. He came because we aren’t reliable. And that’s exactly why Easter matters. That’s why the crucifixion, death and resurrection are the foundations of our faith.
The King Everyone Wanted
When Jesus enters Jerusalem in the Gospel of Luke- chapter 19, the crowd believes something huge is about to happen. We’ll talk more about this next week, however in short, recall that for generations the Jewish people had been waiting for the Messiah. Someone who would overthrow oppression. Someone who would restore Israel’s glory. Someone who would fix everything. So, when Jesus arrives, it feels like the moment they’ve been waiting for. But Jesus arrives in a very unexpected way; not on a war horse not with an army, he comes riding on a donkey.
This fulfills the prophecy from Book of Zechariah 9:9 that the king would come gentle and humble, but here’s the problem: The crowd wanted a conquering king.
Jesus came as a suffering Savior, they wanted revolution. Jesus came to bring redemption, they wanted freedom from Rome. Jesus came to bring freedom from sin.
When God Doesn’t Meet Our Expectations
Before we judge the crowd too quickly, though, we probably need to ask ourselves a pretty honest question: How often do we do the same thing? How often do we follow Jesus as long as life is going the way we hoped? As long as prayers are answered the way we want? As long as the path seems clear?
But when life gets hard, when things don’t make sense, when God seems quiet, suddenly our faith gets shaky. A fundamental learning from the Easter story that we need to be reminded of year after year is this: God’s greatest victory didn’t look like victory at all. To the crowd, the cross looked like defeat. To the disciples, the cross looked like failure. To the Roman Empire, the cross looked like the end of another failed movement. But in reality, the cross was God’s greatest act of love.
The Road Jesus Chose
One of the most powerful moments in Holy Week happens in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus prays these words in Gospel of Luke 22:42:
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Those words remind us of something incredibly important. The cross was not an accident. Jesus knew exactly where the road would lead. Betrayal. Abandonment. Suffering. And yet He kept walking. Why? Because love doesn’t turn back.
The cross reveals the depth of God’s love described in Book of Isaiah 53 the suffering servant who bears our sins. Jesus entered Jerusalem knowing that the cheers of Palm Sunday would soon become the silence of Good Friday and He went anyway.
What Passion Sunday Teaches Us
Lesson 1 — Faith Must Go Deeper Than Celebration
The crowd loved Jesus when things were exciting. When miracles were happening. When hope felt tangible. When the future seemed bright. But discipleship isn’t just about celebrating Jesus when life is good. Real faith follows Jesus even when the road gets difficult. Even when prayers aren’t answered the way we hoped. Even when the future feels uncertain. Even when the path is confusing. Because following Jesus isn’t just about the moments when the crowd is cheering. It’s about the moments when the crowd disappears.
And if we’re honest, those are the moments when our faith is actually formed. Not when everything is easy. But when we’re forced to decide: Will we still trust God when life doesn’t make sense? Will we still follow Jesus when the road feels difficult?
The disciples didn’t fully understand what was happening during Holy Week. In fact, many of them were confused, scared, and uncertain. And yet Jesus was inviting them, and us, into a deeper kind of faith. A faith that isn’t built on excitement. But a faith that is rooted in trust.
Lesson 2 — Hope Is Built in Difficult Seasons
One of the most honest reflections about hope comes from Courtney Verhelst, who writes: “Hope, like faith, is a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to be strengthened.”
That’s such a powerful way to think about hope. Because hope usually doesn’t grow when life is easy. Hope grows when life is uncertain. Hope grows when we don’t have all the answers. Hope grows when we are forced to trust God in ways we never expected. And throughout Scripture, we see that kind of hope forming in the lives of people who had to wait on God.
A Biblical Illustration
One powerful example comes from the story of Joseph in Book of Genesis. Joseph had received a dream from God when he was young, a dream that his life would have purpose and that God would use him in significant ways but almost immediately, his life took a turn in the opposite direction. He was betrayed by his own brothers, sold into slavery, wrongfully accused, thrown into prison, and for years, nothing about Joseph’s circumstances looked hopeful.
Imagine carrying a promise from God while everything around you seemed to contradict it.
And yet through all those years, Joseph kept trusting that God was still at work. Eventually, God raised him up to become a leader in Egypt, and Joseph was able to say something remarkable in Book of Genesis 50:20:
“What you meant for evil against me, God meant for good.”
Joseph’s story reminds us that hope is often built in the middle of the waiting, not just at the end of the story.
A Modern Illustration
We see this kind of hope lived out in the lives of Christians even today. One example many people know is the story of Joni Eareckson Tada. As a teenager, Joni was injured in a diving accident that left her paralyzed from the shoulders down. In an instant, the life she expected was gone. She went through years of grief, questions, and deep wrestling with God. But over time, something remarkable happened. Instead of losing hope, she discovered a deeper hope in Christ.
Her life and ministry now encourage people all over the world who are walking through suffering, disability, or deep hardship. And for a moment, we want you to hear a bit of her story in her own words.
Video
As you watch this short clip, listen for how Joni talks about discovering hope, not because her circumstances changed, but because her trust in Christ deepened.
Stories like that remind us that hope isn’t pretending life is easy. Hope is learning to trust God even when life is hard. It’s discovering that Christ is present even in the middle of suffering.
Connecting Back to Easter
In many ways, Easter itself is a story about hope growing in the middle of uncertainty. Today we begin at the nearing of the Lenten season. Palm Sunday, next Sunday begins with celebration, but by Good Friday, everything seems lost. The disciples believe the story is over. Their teacher is gone. Their hopes appear shattered. And Saturday, the day in between, must have felt incredibly quiet and confusing.
But even when the disciples couldn’t see it, God was still working.
Many of us know what it feels like to live in those “Saturday” moments. Moments when we are waiting. Moments when we don’t understand what God is doing, when the future feels uncertain. The story of Holy Week reminds us that God is still at work, even when we cannot yet see it and sometimes it is in those very moment that our hope grows the strongest.
Preparing Our Hearts for Holy Week
As we stand here on Passion Sunday, we are really standing at the doorway to Easter. In the coming weeks, the church around the world will walk through the most important days in the Christian story. From the triumphal entry, to the Last Supper, to the cross, and finally to the empty tomb.
But the truth is, it’s very easy to rush through this season. Life is busy. Schedules are full, and before we know it, Easter arrives without us ever really slowing down to reflect on what it means.
So today, we want to offer a few simple ways to prepare your heart for the Easter Season.
Slow Down and Create Space
One of the best ways to prepare for Holy Week is actually very simple. Slow down. Create some space in your week to reflect on the story of Jesus. Maybe that means setting aside a few minutes each day to read through the events of the final week of Jesus’ life in Gospel of Luke or another Gospel. Maybe it means spending time in quiet prayer. Maybe it means attending our Tuesday evening studies on the Last Week of Jesus earthly life.
Or maybe it means simply sitting with the question: What does the cross really mean for my life?
This season is meant to be experienced, not rushed through.
Reflect on the Cross
Another way we can prepare is by taking time to reflect on the meaning of the cross. Do you still have your cross?
The cross reminds us of two things at the same time. It reminds us of the reality of sin and brokenness in our world. But it also reminds us of the incredible depth of God’s love for us. As we’re reminded in throughout the Gospel stories that God’s love moved Him to give His Son for the sake of the world. So, in the coming days, spend time thinking about that love. Let it humble you. Let it draw you closer to Christ.
Come Ready to Walk Through the Story
Finally, as Easter draws near, as Holy Week begins, starting with Palm Sunday next week, make yourself ready to walk through the story together as a church family.
Each moment of Easter carries meaning. Palm Sunday reminds us of hope. The Last Supper reminds us of service and sacrifice. Good Friday reminds us of the cost of our redemption. And Easter morning reminds us that death does not have the final word. When we allow ourselves to walk through the full story, Easter becomes more than just a celebration; it becomes a powerful reminder that God brings life out of death, hope out of despair, and resurrection out of the darkest moments.
Church, as we come to the end of our time together today, we find ourselves standing at a moment of decision. Because Passion Sunday, Easter, Holy Week, these occasions don’t just tell us a story about something that happened two thousand years ago. It asks us a very personal question. What will we do with Jesus?
The people in Jerusalem had to answer that question. Some welcomed Him. Some doubted Him. Some rejected Him. And others followed Him all the way to the cross. And in many ways, every generation since has faced the same choice.
The truth is, it’s easy to be part of the crowd on Palm Sunday. It’s easy to celebrate when everyone else is celebrating. It’s easy to wave the branches. It’s easy to shout “Hosanna!” But following Jesus becomes much more personal when the cheering stops. When the road becomes uncertain. When the path leads toward sacrifice, surrender, and trust. That’s where real discipleship begins.
The invitation of Easter is not just to admire Jesus. It’s to follow Him in humility, in obedience. To follow Him in trust. That invitation is still open today.
Maybe for some of us, that means returning to Christ after a season of distance. Maybe for some of us, it means trusting Him with something we’ve been holding tightly. Maybe for some of us, it means choosing to truly follow Him for the first time.
The beautiful thing about the Gospel is that Jesus didn’t walk that road to the cross for a crowd. He walked it for each one of us. He walked it for you. For our failures. For our brokenness. And ultimately for our redemption. And that means no one is too far gone. No one is beyond the reach of His grace. No one is beyond the hope that the cross offers.
The invitation for you this Easter is to do more than just remember the story. Step into it. Prepare your heart. Walk with Jesus. Reflect on the cross. Come into Easter ready to encounter again the love that changes everything. Because the road that begins with palm branches leads to a cross, but it doesn’t end there, it leads to an empty tomb, and the promise that because Jesus lives hope is alive, grace is available, and new life is possible.
Prayer
Gracious and loving God, as we stand at the beginning of the Easter Season, we pause to remember the road that Jesus chose. A road that began with palm branches and celebration, but led through suffering, sacrifice, and the cross. We thank you for the depth of your love, a love that did not turn away from our brokenness, but stepped into it to bring redemption and new life.
Lord, as we leave this place today, help us not to rush past this sacred season. Slow our hearts. Quiet our minds. Help us to walk with Jesus in the days ahead, to reflect on the cross, to remember the cost of grace, and to see again the beauty of your love for the world.
We pray for those in our community who are walking through their own difficult seasons. For those who are grieving, anxious, or uncertain about the future. For those who feel like they are living in those quiet “Saturday” moments, waiting and wondering where you are. Remind them, Lord, that even when we cannot see it, you are still at work.
Strengthen our faith, deepen our hope, and help us trust you more each day. And as we move toward the cross and the empty tomb, prepare our hearts to encounter again the good news of the Gospel, that through Jesus Christ, sin is forgiven, hope is alive, and new life is possible.
We pray all of this in the name of Jesus, who walked this road for us. Amen.
Song
Benediction
Our prayer for each of you is that you will have an encounter with the risen Lord this Easter; that each of you will feel the love revealed on the cross and be reminded that you are never beyond God’s grace, and never beyond His hope.
Go in peace and walk with Jesus. Amen.